Fountain pen feed construction



D. H. YOUNG FOUNTAIN PEN FEED CONSTRUCTION April 14, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Filedot. 24. 1955 ////MVV/ lliby April 14, 1959 Filed oct. 24, 1955 2sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR A ORNEY United States Patent FOUNTAIN PEN FEEDCONSTRUCTION Donald H. Young, Southbury, Conn., assignor to Waterman PenCompany, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationOctober 24, 1955, Serial No. 542,187

7 Claims. (Cl. 120-50) This invention relates particularly to fountainpens of the type in which the ink supply located in the barrel has moreor less centrally or axially disposed air and ink channels or ducts atits forward or discharge end. A familiar example is the cartridge typepen, in which the forward end of the ink cartridge is penetrated by atubular member, disposed on the central axis of the pen, whichincorporates a feed element suitably formed to provide passage for theink; forwardly, or toward the nib end of the pen, and also for the ilowof air in the reverse direction and into the cartridge.

ln a common type of fountain pen construction the forward end of thepen, or the section as it is called, carries the nib and a feed or feedunit, the latter in corporating air and ink passages which are offsetfrom or located at one side of the axis of the section and of the pen asa whole.

The object of the present invention is to provide intermediate orconnecting feed means so constructed as to enable the central orcartridge type of ink supply means to be used in conjunction with thetype of feed unit having the offset air and ink passages, the feed meansof the invention providing a simple and ready means of coupling therespective air and ink channels or ducts to insure adequate ilow of inkfrom and air to the supply means by way of the feed unit in the section.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent `from thefollowing description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, largely sectioned, of a fountain penincorporating a preferred form of the invention in an illustrativeenvironment;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of the forward end of the pen ofFig, 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section onrthe line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a further enlarged section on the line 5 5 of Figs. 2 and 5;

Fig. 6 is a similarly enlarged section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a broken yout perspective view of a feed element.

The illustrated pen consists of a barrel 1, a section 2 and a feed unit3 mounted in the forward end of the section. The nib 4 is shown ascarried by and removable with the feed unit, the sleeve 5 of which isthreaded into the forward end of the section. A ferrule 6 serves toconnect the section and barrel, `being threaded at its forward end at 7where it is engaged with the section and threaded at its rear end at 8for engagement with the barrel. The barrel houses an ink cartridge 9.

The inl; supply means, as that term is used herein, is shown ascomprising a centrally or axially located tube 15 which penetrates theink cartridge and, within the tube, a feed element 16 incorporating airand ink ducts in the nature of grooves or channels. As shownparticularly in Figs, 2, 4 and 7, the feed element is of generallycircular section but having a ilat top surface 17, the resulting space18 between the feed element and tube 15 constituting the air groove orchannel. The feed element is grooved as at 19 to form an ink duct. Theweb portion 20 of the feed element which unites its two halvesterminates (as indicated at 21 in Figs. 6 and 7) short of the forwardend of the feed element so that at such forward end the feed element ispierced by an open slot. It may also be noted at this point that thefeed element projects beyond the forward end of the tube 15 and that ator adjacent its forward end the tube itself has a flange or flangeenlargement 22 secured to it (both details being readily apparent inFig. 6).

At an intermediate point in its length the section 2 has a restrictedthroat passage 25 defined or bounded by a forwardly facing shoulder 26and a rearwardly facing shoulder 2.7.

The rear end of sleeve 5 of feed unit 3 overlies shoulder 26 and thefeed unit incorporates air and ink channels which, at their rear ends,open into the section throat passage 25. These channels are shownparticularly in Fig. 3, reference 28 indicating the air channel andreference 29 the ink channels or grooves.

These latter channels, lying beneath the nib, are longitudinally spacedfrom an axially offset and substantially out of alignment with the moreor less centrally located air and ink channels of the ink feed means,and intermediate feed means are provided to connect the respectivechannels to complete the passages necessary for the llow of ink from theink supply and of air to that supply. Such intermediate feed means ispreferably in the nature of a connecting feed member and is adapted tobe mounted in the throat passage 25.

In the present illustrative embodiment, the intermediate feed meanscomprises a cylindrical plug member having a flange 35 which overliesrearwardly facing shoulder 27 and a reduced diameter body portion 36projecting into the throat passage 25 but with clearance to leave anannular space 37 around its periphery. The ilange is of a diameter tosubstantially center body portion 36 in the throat passage and thelength of the body portion is such that its forward end abuts the rearface of feed unit 3. The extreme forward end of body portion 36 is ofstill further slightly reduced diameter to form a peripheral groove 38.As will be seen, the groove 38 cuts across and is in communication withthe open ends of ink channels 29 at the rear of the feed; and theannular space 37 cuts across and is in communication with the open endof air channel 28 at the rear of the feed.

The intermediate feed plug member is provided with a bore, in thisinstance a centrally located bore 45 which said bore..

.3. Inv a fountain unit ,secured within its forward end formed withlongiextends-clear through it. n is provided 'also with a --counterbore46, the `parts being so dimensioned (see Fig. 6) that when the tube ange22 abuts plug flange 35, the projecting end of feed element 16 issubstantially in contact with the rear face of feed unit 3, the tubeterminating within but short of the bottom of counterbore 46. Thus thefeed element channels are open to the interior of the plug bore.

The feed plug is provided with additional grooves to complete the airand ink flow passages; rthat is, to complete the connection between thesection channels and the ink supply means channels. Thus, in this form,the forward end face of the plug member is provided with a plurality ofradial grooves 50'. These serve to connect the forward end of the plugbore 45 with peripheral groove 38 and hence with the feed unit inkchannels. Therear end of the plug member is also formed with a deeptransverse slot S1 which serves to connect the plug bore with vannularspace 37 and hence with the feed unit air channel.

The manner of assembly will be self-evident, the feed tube and plugbeing secured in the section by the threaded ferrule, an interveningwasher 55 serving as a seal against the escape of ink into the interiorof the ferrule and of the barrel.

It is to be noted that because of the annular arrangement of theintermediate air and ink channels and their connection with the plugbore, the assembly is indifferent to the position in which the plugmember is inserted in the throat passage. In other words, the bore isalways connected with the feed unit channels, no matter whether the plugmember occupies the position indicated or whether it is rotated to anyother position in the throat passage. Similarly, the bore is always incommunication with the feed element channels.

It will be apparent that the invention may be embodied --in numerousforms and variously modified to suit various requirements, the foregoingdetailed description being of the preferred embodiment and particularlyuseful in the environment illustrated. In the light of the foregoingexempliication of the principles of the invention the v following isclaimed:

bore and the periphery of the plug member intermediate its ends.

2. In a fountain pen, a hollow section having an intermediate restrictedthroat passage bounded by forwardly .and rearwardly facing shoulders, aplug member abutting the rearwardly facing shoulder and having areducedy porv,tion projecting into but spaced from` the wall of thethroat passage -to form an annular air channel, said plug member. alsohaving an annular ink channel formed in the forward end face of its saidreduced portion,.a feed iunit mounted in the 'forward end of the sectionabutting the forwardly facing shoulder and also abutting said forwardend face of the plug member, said feed unit having an outer longitudinalair passage and an inner longitudinal ink passage in communicationrespectively with the said annular air and ink channels, said plugmember having a substantially central bore, a transverse air slotv.across its vrear face having its ends intersecting the bore lFand saidannular air channel and a transverse slot across its front faceintersecting the bore and Said annular ink channel, and ink supply meansin communication with pen, a hollow member having a feed tudinal ink andair passages, a chamber within said member at the rear end of said unit,an ink supply tube projecting into the end of saidpchamber oppositeYsaid feed 'lnitya plug mounted in said chamber so as to be sub- 75 enddisposed in abutment with the rear end of said feed unit, said plugbeing formed at its rear end to receive the end of said ink supply tubeand being provided with a bore in alignment with and forwardly of theend of said tube, and said plug being formed at its forward end todefine with the wall of said chamber a peripheral space open to saidfeed unit passages, a feed element having ink and air passages extendingthrough said tube to said bore, and transverse ink and air passages insaid plug extending between said bore and said space.

4. In a fountain pen, a hollow section member, a barrel removablyattached to said section member at one end and containing an inkreservoir, a feed unit secured within the other end of said sectionmember and comprising a nib and longitudinal ink and air passagesleading to said nib, said feed member having a flat rear surface andsaid section. member having a chamber rearwardly of said feed unitsurface, means defining reservoir connected longitudinal ink and airpassages at said one end of said section opening into said chamber anddisposed substantially at the longitudinal axis of said feed unit, thelongitudinal passages in said feed unit being radially outwardlydisplaced with respect to said reservoir connected passages, and meansin said chamber interposed longitudinally between said feed unit andreservoir connected passages for connecting the respective ink and airpassages to provide for eectively continuous ink and air passage betweenthe nib and reservoir comprising an internal member disposed in saidchamber, said internal member having a at front surface, means mountingsaid internal member in said chamber with said front surface abuttingthe rear surface of said feed member, said internal member being formedat its rear end to receive said reservoir connected passage deuinglmeans and formed with trans- 4 verse passage means interconnecting saidreservoir connected passages with the adjacent ends of said feed unitpassages, and the transverse ink passage means being at least one grooveformed in said front surface of said internal member.

5. In the fountain pen defined in claim 4, said interconnecting passagemeans comprising a circumferential passage into which the outer end ofsaid transverse passage means is open, said circumferential passagebeing continuous and open to the adjacent ends of said feed unitpassages in all positions of rotation of said internal member about thelongitudinal axis of said chamber.

6. In a fountain pen, a hollow member having a feed unit secured withinits forward end formed with longitudinal ink and air passages, a chamberwithin said member at the rear end of said unit, an ink supply tubeprojecting into the end of said chamber opposite said feed unit, a plugin said. chamber formed at its rear end to receive the end of said ink`supply tube and provided with a bore in alignment with and forwardly ofthe end of said tube, said plug being formed at its forward end facewith a peripheral groove to deiine with the wall of said chamber aperipheral space open to said feed unit passages, a feed element havingink and air passages extending through said tube into said bore,transverse ink and air passages in said plug extending between said boreand said space, an enlarged flange on said tube within said chamber,said plug being mounted in Iabutment at opposite ends with said ange andsaid feed unit, and said transverse passages comprising substantiallyradial end face vgrooves in said plug all `opening into saidcircumferential plug end face groove that bridges the adjacent ends ofsaid feed `unitpassagesl 7. In a fountain pen, a hollow member having afeed unit secured withinits forward end formed with longitudinal ink'and air passages, a chamber within said memberY at the rear end of saidunit, an ink supply tube projecting into the. end of said chamberopposite said feed unit, a plugfinsaid chamber formed at its rear end toreceivetheend ofsaid. inksupply tube and provided with a bore inalignment with and forwardly of the end of References Cited in the le ofthis patent said tube, said plug being formed at its forward end toUNITED STATES PATENTS define with the wall of said chamber a peripheralspace open to said feed unit passages, a feed element having 685918Green Nov' 5 1901 ink and air passages extending through said tube into5 1496060 Logan June 3 1924 said bore, transverse ink and air passagesin Said plug CX- 2152436 Koos Mar' 28 1939 tending between said bore andsaid space, said space 2'514729 Snodgrass July 11 1950 including aperipheral end face groove in said plug, and 2736292 Tanpelg Feb' 28'1956 at least one of said transverse passages being a radial end2'748749 Palslc June 5 1956 face groove in -said plug intersecting said:bore and said l@ FOREIGN PATENTS peripheral groove, and anothertransverse passage in said 21 631 Great Britain of 1908 plug extendingbetween said space and said plug bore to 1761469 Austria '26, 1953intersect said plug bore Ibetween the end of said tube 713,536 GreatBritain Aug 1L 1954 and said radial end grooves.

